Auditors estimated that about 160,000 people had been allowed to enter the garden without paying, costing the park 25 million yen ($223,000) in revenue.

"I don't speak any other languages, and I got scared when a foreigner began yelling at me a long time ago," the employee told ministry officials, according to SoraNews24.

Bizarrely, the attendant had been issuing tickets to foreigners, which had the price of entrance written on them, but not asking for money. He would then ask a colleague with access to the park's database to cancel the sales.

The Guardian reported that in December 2016 the employee was exposed by a colleague who saw him acting strangely when handing out tickets to tourists. He has since retired from his position, been docked 10% of his salary, and offered to return 300,000 yen of his retirement bonus.